Officials Demand Answers in Shooting of National Park Elk

Hunting of any kind is forbidden within California's Redwood National Park. That's why officials are eager to learn the identies of suspected poachers who shot and killed four elk in the park this month. The elk were discovered July 21 near the Williams Ridge area along Bald Hills Road, per CBS News. They'd been killed with lead shot, though no meat was taken, according to the National Park Service. Park rangers and wardens from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife are now appealing for the public's help tracing those responsible.

Most elk in the national park are Roosevelt elk, a subspecies brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to conservation efforts, CBS reports. "Park rangers are committed to protecting these amazing animals and urge the public to help them in this effort," the NPS said. Officials also noted "ingestion of lead ammunition is the single largest threat to free-flying California condors." The endangered scavengers were only reintroduced to the region two years ago, per ABC News. (More National Park Service stories.)